Thursday, 18 October 2018

Just Flesh and Blood

Australian
Jane Caro has won many national and international awards for her creative
endeavours and has written numerous books including the prequels to this, her
latest YA title in the Elizabeth 1 trilogy (Just
a Girl and Just a Queen), both
UQP titles.

In Just Flesh and Blood, she continues the
life of Elizabeth, who endured a perilous childhood to take the throne as Queen
of England.

Now, four decades later, having withstood political upheavals, wars
and plots against her life, she contemplates her successes and failures and
ponders all she has relinquished – love, marriage and family – for power. As
she is dying, Elizabeth recalls her first love, Robin Dudley, 1st
Earl of Leicester who was her playmate and became her master of horse on her
accession. (Many consider he was her one true love.) There are many more
memories which makes this a slow-moving book, not one bristling with action: after
all, it is Elizabeth’s final chapter.

As with all
books which are well-researched, the book contains a bibliography for those who
want to read more about the great queen’s life and accomplishment. Also, very
helpful at the end of the book, is its Cast of Characters, with, in order of
appearance, the names and birth and death dates as well as a short potted
history of those who appear in the book which begins with the death of
Elizabeth’s mother, Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry V11, who was executed by
him for treason and adultery.